I submit this as a discussion topic, not as a target for those that make comments such as “go back to your own country”!

I have a short fuse at the best of times, but when somebody treats me like the village idiot, then I am going to rapidly become “unglued”. Conversely, I will be patient with anybody, Thai or Farang, that shows basic good manners and attitude no matter what the situation.

Yesterday I attempted to redeem over 60 promotion stickers at Villa Market at a branch in Bangkok. These things were issued at one per 400 Baht or multiples spent on any one receipt. The promotion is for expensive cutlery sets at the rate of 10 stickers, plus 289 Baht per box, with a selection of 6 different sets.

I asked the manager to process this as the girl at the checkout did not know how to do it. The manager, who knows me and is usually very helpful, disappeared for a couple of minutes and then called me over to a vacant checkout carrying an armful of boxes. This without asking me which type of sets I wanted. When I said that what he was offering was not the type that I wanted, he informed me, without any explanation, that those presented were all that they had!

“No, I want what you have advertised” resulted in him calling over a young Thai girl, whom folded her arms and stated quite rudely, “that is all we have”, not once but repeated several times.

At this point I started to get agitated and pointed out that the treatment being handed out was what I expected at BigC, not Villa Market, and I wanted to know what the manager was going to do about it. I should probably add that by now I was more than agitated and raised my voice in frustration. By then I had been standing there, propped up with my damn walking stick, for far too long.

This is when old Grandma Farang stuck her nose in and TOLD me to shut up! After me informing her to keep her long Farang nose out of my business, she was joined by another old Farang couple joining in with their opinion of why I should shut up! Sorry, this is the same as throwing petrol on a fire with me!

My point of this ramble is to seek opinions of just what people consider is their right to interfere in other peoples’ problems. It has happened to me a couple of times previously, once in a Bangkok Bank, where an old Farang did a similar thing because I objected to some girl laughing and giggling at me when I asked a simple question.

Many times I have had a Thai person politely offer to help when they can see what is happening, although in this case it was not a language problem, but mainly the fault of the rude girl.

So, do Farangs, old or new, have some God given right to poke their nose into other people’s problems and expect to be obeyed, or is it something to do with just being in Thailand? Would they do this in their own country? As an example, in Perth Australia there have been several recent cases where somebody has tried to intervene in a dispute and ended up in the hospital, and in one case dead!

May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!

My 2 Bahts worth, no they should have left you to do your own thing. I've seen it several times where something has gone wrong, and rather than apologise, the Thai goes on the attack.

I suspect the other Farang thought you were a newbie Farang, and didn't know the lay of the land. The fact they didn't know the full story would have been irrelevant. They would have just seen a big 'green' Farang, who didn't understand how Thailand works, losing his cool with a defenseless Thai lady.

Yes, I agree with BB. There are always plenty of foreign experts who have been here a month, and probably read the "Culture Shock" book on the plane. All these events are not worth having a stroke over though or I would have been pushing up daisies years ago. Pete

Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source

So . . . . did you end up getting what you wanted or was that really "all they had" and the employees were telling you the truth all along?

No, I pulled a well known Thai trick which goes something like "I know someone higher up than you", and called the Farang VP marketing manager. This was in the evening after I had calmed down, and had not received a call from him, despite leaving my phone number with the shop manager and asking him to have the VP call me. He knew nothing about it.

But, this thread is about interfering Farangs, and why they feel so compelled.

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May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!

As i have said many times before, state your point resolutely and conclusively, and certainly farang or no farang you will make yourself understood. The important point being dialogue.

Without it everything will be difficult, and at times it really is, because not everyone can speak thai. Often times you will see lazy employees skimping out on you or not really paying you the respect and attention that you deserve.

But this is not a thai only problem. Wherever you go you should get used to converse even if at times uncomfortable.

In such cases, I would only offer help if I'm asked for it. Otherwise, I'd 'keep my nose to myself'!

I would have to.
Some farangs here in Thailand view themselves as "Defenders of the Thai People" and they view other farangs especially white males as 'Big Angry Overpriviliged Perverts' that are just here to take advantage of the Thai people and when they see a farang arguing or talking loudly with a Thai person they view at as their divine duty to intervene. These same types of farangs usually feel that we are just guests in Thailand and should never ever complain. Maybe these interfering farangs were trying to score some more brownie points with the Thai's.

I think non-interference should really be the best policy and would personally get annoyed if some farang offered 'assistance'. The locals know well enough to stay away from any situation that is not of their own making..

I am probably one of the calmest and most laid back expats in Thailand, but in your case mate, the interfering idiots would have been cut down in no time at all. I have no time for the fools who try to defend any and all Thais just because they are Thai.

Having said that, I can't figure out why an Aussie would want an expensive cutlery set.

Don't try to impress me with your manner of dress cos a monkey himself is a monkey no less - cold fact